The board overseeing the development of the former Amoco refinery has approved three projects on the Salt Creek Heights Business Center, according to its executive director, Alice Kraft.

The Amoco Reuse Agreement Joint Powers Board will be sending requests for bids for a "flex building" with a variety of potential uses, has signed a letter of intent with the American Legion for a 60,000-square foot building, and is working on a land lease with Becker Land LLC to develop four lots, Kraft said.

"Those three are in the last six weeks," Kraft said.

Her office, located in the refinery's former administration building, has been receiving calls from businesses and organizations interested in building on the site, she said.

Kraft has been referring those inquiries to broker Greg Thomas of Grubb & Ellis, which designed the master plan for the business complex, she said.

"It's almost too fast for me to keep up," she said. "It's wonderful that it's happening."

The projects will anchor the development of the business park and mark a significant step in the development of the 250-acre site, board member and Natrona County commissioner Barb Peryam said at the board's monthly meeting Wednesday.

Dwyer Construction is nearly finished grading the site and installing erosion control barriers, Kraft said.

The former tank farm has not received the same kind of attention as the former 350-acre refinery site with its Three Crowns Golf Course, the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission and other buildings.

At Wednesday's meeting, board members approved the construction of a "flex building," which will feature a copper and stone exterior, Kraft said.

The board will own the building, which will anchor the development starting at English Avenue and Salt Creek Parkway, she said. The joint powers board is composed of appointees from the city and the county, and a county commissioner and a Casper city council member.

Besides the flex building, the board discussed the signed letter of intent with the American Legion for a 60,000-square-foot building on a 1.4-acre lot, Kraft said.

The new American Legion hall will feature a bar, kitchen, stage, meeting rooms and a patio overlooking the North Platte River valley, she said.

During the dirt work on this site, crews found stained soil and submitted it to BP - Amoco's successor company - for testing, Kraft said.

While the results of the testing aren't known yet, she said she's not worried about what BP will find. "We're not going to find anything we haven't seen before."

The board also has a lease with Becker Land LLC for four lots, Kraft said.

The board is waiting for a use development plan, which will need approval from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and BP, she said.

In other matters, the board on Wednesday approved a short-term investment of some of its funds with First Interstate Bank to obtain a better interest rate yielding about $80,000, Kraft said.

Board treasurer Neil Jacquot presented the results of a request for proposal without identifying the interested parties, Kraft said.

Even so, board member and First Interstate executive Mike Huston left the meeting room during the discussion.

Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at Tom.Morton@trib.com.